GDB 67.0 Wrap Up: Oilers @ Red Wings

The Oilers have officially been eliminated from the playoffs. MATH WINS AGAIN! Final Score: 5-2 Red Wings.

The good thing about tonight’s game is that it would be really hard for the Oilers to play as miserably as they did yesterday. Frankly, I’m not even sure they’d be able to achieve that level of shitacular® play if they tried. I’ve seen some bad hockey games in the past nine years, but that has to rank up with the best of the worst. With that said, I felt reasonably confident that the Oilers would be better tonight. Okay, so maybe that’s not setting the bar that high – what do you want from me?

Through 20 minutes, I thought that the Oilers were going to prove my feelings to be correct. I thought that maybe the Oilers were going to bounce back, and possibly win, after yesterday’s walk on dog shit island. Fortunately, reality slapped me right in the face as the Wings tied the game up only 21 seconds into the second period. From there, Detroit took over ever aspect of this hockey game. Save for a few moments, the Wings prevented the Oilers from developing any kind of offensive pressure. Any time Edmonton seemed to get something going, the chance was short lived and the Wings were attacking the other way.

The Wings closed out the game by denying the Oilers at every turn. The killer might have been the Oilers inability to score on the power play. In five chances (including a 5 on 3 in the third period), the Oilers couldn’t score when it mattered (Yak scored at the end of the game). While they were able to move the puck around effectively, passing the puck around the boards won’t win you hockey games. At the end of the day, this game WAS better than yesterday’s, so that’s positive. People have been telling me I’m too negative so I wanted to end this wrap up on a high note. SO… let’s talk about the grilled cheese and tomato soup that I just finished eating. It. Was. Good.

We wrap.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

Great start for the Oilers tonight (to the first period anyway). Not only did they take the lead on an early goal from Rob Klinkhammer (his fifth of the season but first as an Oiler), they held the Wings from getting their first shot until the nine minute mark.

Back to Klinkhammer, I always like seeing guys on the fourth line scoring goals. Those guys work hard, bang away in the corners, and it’s always nice to see them rewarded for it.

Nuge played really well tonight. He didn’t show up on the scoreboard, but he’s doing all the things that are going to make him a great player. Also, I don’t know how many of you have noticed but Nugey is starting to develop an edge. Could it be? He was throwing a few cheeky slashes out there, and I am happy to see it.

Nail Yakupov has an absolute bomb of a shot. He scored (his 10th) on a one-timer from the point. It was too late to matter, but it was a hell of a shot. It’s nice to see that the Yak haters have calmed down a little bit. I will continue to proudly wave my Nail Yakupov fan club flag.

Anton Lander also had a good night in his return from injury. Of all the OKC callups, Lander easily has the best defensive awareness. If he can continue to develop his offence the Oilers may just have a player there. Good thing he passed through waivers earlier in the year.

THE FACE PALMERS

I had to Google what Taylor Hall’s face looks like. I miss him. Although, I do wonder what he’s been thinking to see the team “playing better” without him in the lineup.

Kronwall scored his first goal in seven games just 21 seconds into the second period. Another player ending a slump against the Oilers! The precious is in sight.

The Oilers got caught puck watching on the Riley Sheahan goal. He was left alone in the slot and banged home a loose puck. Swarm?

Look at who the Oilers had as their six defenceman tonight: Schultz-Klefbom, Ference-Oesterle, Fayne-Marincin. What a crew that is… MacT had better upgrade his phone plan this summer.

I don’t think Jordan Oesterle is ready for the NHL. He played 50 professional games before the Oilers recalled him, and it’s obvious that needs more time to develop. That’s by no means a slag against him, but an indication of where he’s at and more importantly where the Oilers defensive depth is at.

It wasn’t a great night for Ben Scrivens but you can’t really blame him either. He had no chance on the second goal, the defence got caught puck watching and Sheahan had a tap in. I’m sure he’d say he should have played better but he didn’t get much help again tonight. Scrivens finished with 21 saves and an .875 save%.

Even though they’ve been out of it since November, the Oilers were officially eliminated from the playoffs tonight.

RED BULL CRASHED ICE

If you don’t have any plans for this coming weekend than you do now. Crashed Ice is coming to Edmonton, and the finals, for the season, are coming up on Friday and Saturday. If you haven’t driven past the course (at the Shaw Conference Centre) yet, take a few minutes to check it out. The course is pretty gnarly and will surely cause some mayhem for the contestants. As a spectator, I full expect to see some next level crashes and some grown men regretting every choice they made that led them to this point. Did I mention that it’s free to check everything out? I’ll let that soak in for a minute.

Back from winter vacation and notice Oilers going into next season going for the decade old futility record . A couple of things remain the same throughout this period – upper management , and recycled at that when it comes to Howson and MacT.. Further away today under their guidance , and Lowe’s tampering ,than they were when the mass exodus began 9 years ago. Getting rid of Tambellini and several coaches had little effect on the on ice product – it remains poor . Even our AHl club has had little positive effect over the years . Do not forsee current management doing any better into the next decade . My interest in Oiler hockey might return when a new managerial team is hired and put in place .

I just looked at their draft history over past 15 years. About half of those years Detroit didn’t even have a first round pick. Its amazing how good they draft/develop. I think if you have excellent scouts, a 35th overall pick is as valuable as a 15th overall pick. Allows them to trade away first round picks consistently and not cripple the team long term.

very much so. Really, other than when we had Perron, we didn’t really have anyone in our top 6 that would do that. Nuge is starting to develop that side but Yak has always been a player that when he is really engaged in a game, he isn’t afraid to throw a shoulder a bit harder or give and extra slash. Sometimes that will end with a stupid penalty but I would rather the occasional penalty than constant indifference. The trick now for Yak is to keep up this consistency and have him be engaged like that every game.

On a slightly different note, I wonder what reasonable point production is for Yak next season. He may never be the 30 goal scorer that was probably hoped of him, however, I think if he became a consistent 20 goal, 50 point second line player I would be happy with that.

The radio crew in Calgary is terrible. Maybe its just my bias. The guys here cannot get over camparing your team to the Oilers. Oilers fans have realized (well most) for a few years now that the team is broken and needs help. So go ahead and compare your team the the Oilers, its not doing you any favors.

I listen to the flames crap on a daily basis. Count your blessings because there are not many teams that: can be outshot 2:1 heading into the third and pull off a W on numerous occations, be losing by 2 pull the goalie and win in OT, be losing by 4 with 12 to go and get a point, be losing by three and have a funny bounce that goes in, etc……..

By the way Oilers fans lived your team in the 90s – the lunch pail crew…its fun hockey enjoy it.

Side note: I have lived in CGY since 04 and the best morning radio guy I have probably ever heard was Mike Richards.

Fun fact: the Oil and the Flames have almost the exact scoring chance differential at about -225 (i.e they have given up 225 more scoring chance than they have created). Flames are this year’s Avs riding off the chart shooting and shave % to win a lot of games that drive the stats guys crazy. The Oil meanwhile have the worst goaltending in the league and below average shooting%.

Do you think that missing a year with should er surgery might slow Benner’s development. What are the chances he will another year in the OHL?

For those who trashed this which fact do you disagree with. That the Oil and Flames have similarly poor scoring chance state (please seehttp://www.coppernblue.com/2015/3/7/8167691/scoring-chances-goal-differential-2005-present) or that an 18 year old losing a year of development is not a good thing?